Keith (Legendary Defender)
Keith is the current Paladin of the Red Lion of Voltron. A man of few words and dry wit, Keith is a loner and rebel by nature with a discipline issue that resulted in his expulsion from the Galaxy Garrison. Personality Keith is hotheaded and temperamental, much like his lion, which makes it hard for many to work with him. As an orphan,Voltron Official Website Keith has seldom had the chance to form attachments to others and was fairly quick to forget his classmate, Lance, upon expulsion from Galaxy Garrison. He has spent most of his time since his expulsion living alone in a shack out in the desert, searching for meaning in his existence, and exploring a nearby range of mountains. It was in these mountains that he learned of the existence of the Blue Lion. Keith is a man of action who hates running from conflict, although sometimes his bravery causes him to get in situations that are way over his head. He also has a somewhat antagonistic relationship/rivalry with Lance, which causes the most friction within the team, however Keith seems to be less spurred on by true aggression towards Lance and more by his competitive nature. Keith is confident, and sometimes forgets that patience is necessary in his line of duty. He is also extremely perceptive, as he was aware of Pidge's identity as a girl despite her efforts to disguise her gender. Keith has a highly confrontive personality and is definitely not the type to back down from a fight. This trait is best witnessed during his battle with Zarkon, who was using the Black Bayard to push Keith and Red beyond their limits. His fiery personality sometimes causes Keith to forget crucial details of his missions, an example of this was when he and Lance were put on a joint mission to destroy the Galra fighters before they could launch and he forgot that the Balmera was a living creature, although he was quickly reminded of this by Lance before any real harm was caused. Keith can be somewhat reckless at times with his Lion's capabilities, including the plasma blaster, which Keith and Red used to melt through a Galra installation on the Balmera, before Hunk and Lance rectify this almost fatal misstep in judgment. Keith is also quick-witted, making many casual remarks and observations much to Lance's chagrin. Despite his tendency to jump into battle, Keith can be quite calm and cautious at times, an example of this being his wariness of the local Arusians, taking a while to warm up to the friendly aliens before trusting them completely. Keith is also just as goofy and free spirited as the rest of his team, it just takes a little longer for the somewhat stoic Paladin to show this. One example of his fun-loving side being when he spat out a mouthful of nunvil, an Altean drink (that Lance described as tasting like hotdog water and feet) into Hunk's face only for the Yellow Paladin to turn around with food in his eyes, making Keith let loose and laugh like everyone else. Keith even comically prodded Lance after he vomited from the foul-tasting beverage until the Blue Paladin collapsed on the ground. He has also shown his fun-loving side during the infamous food fight during training, throwing plates of food goo into Allura and Coran's faces and laughing wildly. Despite his rivalry with Lance, Keith and he actually make a good team, and their complimentary skills and abilities make them an unstoppable duo both in their Lions and in close combat, with Keith's masterful swordsmanship matching surprisingly well with Lance's precise and deadly marksmanship. He also has a poor opinion of Lance's piloting skills, losing his cool completely and crying out in shock and fear during Lance's first run in the Blue Lion, "YOU ARE! THE WORST! PILOT! EVER!" Keith's unstable and unpredictable nature causes him to be extremely susceptible to overwhelming outbursts of anger, shutting down his normally calm personality and putting him into a frenzied state of uncontrollable rage. This is most prominently displayed during his duel with Zarkon, during which his ability to listen to reason was completely incapacitated. He even shut down his com systems to better focus on his enemy, which resulted in Keith drawing out more of Red's raw power. However, Keith's normally cunning and tactical mind were no match for Zarkon's millennia of experience, and so he was outmatched. For Keith, nothing can stand in the way of his fury. Keith is known to have been curious regarding his knife's origins after noting the similarities between it and the one that the Blade of Marmora agent, Ulaz wielded. Following this, Keith began to wonder more about where his Galra blade came from, causing him to sink somewhat into seclusion from the rest of the team. His Galra heritage is something that he is very defensive and self-conscious of, as he tried to ease Allura into thinking that not all Galra are inherently evil, and felt dejected due to her prejudice of the Galra even extending towards him. Luckily for Keith, he gained closure when Allura came to terms with her own feelings of racism towards the Galra, making amends with him, stating that his heritage should not interfere with her duties or their friendship. During his brief interactions with Thace, Keith gained a newfound respect for his Galra heritage, stating that it was an honor to have met and fought alongside his fellow Blade of Marmora. Keith embodies the Red Lion's elemental affiliation of Fire in his hotheaded personality, fierce instincts in battle, and often incendiary humor and remarks. But like fire, Keith's impulsive and explosive tendencies can be harnessed as a valuable tool and weapon to ensure the survival and victory of his friends and innocents. Abilities A skilled martial artist, Keith is extremely capable on the battlefield as his Bayard takes the form of a double-edged sword that can slice through solid steel with ease. He is dedicated to maintaining his abilities and spends his free time on the ship honing his combat skills. After Shiro, Keith is easily the best hand-to-hand combatant on the team. His combat skills allowed him to knock three Garrison military doctors out cold with minimal effort and incredible speed. Keith is also physically the fastest of the team, making his way across the battlefield like a blazing meteorite. He is still learning, but he is an impressive and dangerous swordsman who should not be underestimated. He is also surprisingly strong despite his lean frame and his tendency to stress speed over strength in a fight. Keith is a prodigy pilot who relies more on instinct and natural talent than on learned skill alone. He is the only Paladin capable of handling the Red Lion due to their shared ferocious and rebellious natures. Unlike the others, Keith had to earn his Lion's respect by fighting to protect it at all costs, thus impressing Red. He is a high speed combat specialist who fights at his maximum at all times. Keith's intense wrath allows him to bypass his normal limits and take opponents like the Quintessence-enhanced Zarkon on even footing, but does leave him in a state of mind that prevents him from making sound decisions. In such a state he becomes manic and feral as he ignores all outside advice and logic, leaving him more open to attack. However, as seen during his battle with the Galra Emperor, Keith's wrath also allows him to connect more deeply with Red, which allows him to manifest previously unknown weaponry similar to how the Bayards react to their respective Paladins. Keith's feral mindset in this state allows him to think and react much faster than normal, turning him into a one-man army. The power unleashed by Red's upgraded cannon was enough to inflict critical damage to Zarkon's central base and large portion of his vast armadas. Keith is also skilled with explosives and diversionary tactics, as he was able to distract Galaxy Garrison personnel with multiple calculated explosions in order to clear the way to bust Shiro out of quarantine. This shows that despite his typically reckless demeanor and approach that Keith is a capable guerrilla fighter and tactician of considerable skill. Zarkon has noticed that Keith's natural fighting style resembles that of the Galran's own during their first duel. Indeed, Keith's single-minded drive during battles is reminiscent of the Galra Empire's motto in battle: nothing will stop him but triumph or death. Notes * Unlike the past versions of Keith, this version does not pilot the Black Lion but the Red Lion, and he is not the leader of the Voltron Lion Force. Although should anything happen to Shiro, he is the new leader of Voltron. * Keith is in his late teens.San Diego Comic-Con 2016 * Keith's human ethnicity is unknown. * The Voltron Website describes Keith as an orphan. * The full name of Keith’s GoLion counterpart was Akira Kogane, aka Chief.' '"Kogane" is a Japanese word for "gold". * Keith is known to possess Galra heritage, as evidenced by his Galra knife (which he has possessed since early childhood) activating after passing the Trials of Marmora. * Keith's Galra heritage has been hinted at a few times during Season 1: his ability to activate the Galra technology on the Balmera with his handprint, his fighting style being remarked upon by Zarkon in their first duel, etc. Gallery Official stats - Keith.png|Official stats. Keith casual.png|Keith's casual outfit. 34. Masked Keith.png|Keith thinks he's a ninja. 34a. Masked Keith puts up his dukes.png|A hero about to viciously beat up several doctors. A true role model. Keith Came to Save.png|And now for my close-up! Keith.png|Shock at finding just who has returned to Earth. 41. Is that a cliff.png|Drives off a cliff. Complains about Lance's driving later. Makes sense! 43. Keith's shack.png|Hobotown. Population: Keith. 44. Good to have you back.png|Bro...you okay? Shiro and keith.png|Bro...I don't know... 47. Shiro and Keith after rescue.png|....bruh Keith5.png|How dare YOU forget our bonding moment, too. 49. What Keith's been working on.png|What have you been working on? 51. Keith's project 3.png 54. Keith compares Fraunhofer line to rocks.png|Combine one Fraunhofer line with previous research, and... Shiro, Keith, Lance, Pidge & Hunk.jpg|The Group together in their casual clothes. Team Voltron in Cave.jpg Team Voltron in Blue Lion.png|First time in the Lion. Team Voltron (V.L.D.).png|Lance is at the wheel Lance, Pidge, Shiro, Keith and Hunk.png|What could go wrong? Vlcsnap-2016-06-14-01h46m51s236.png|Keith struggling to stay calm while enduring Lance's crazed piloting. Team Voltron in Space.jpg Team Voltron in Another Planet.png Lance, Hunk, Shiro, Pidge and Keith in Arus.jpg Shiro, Keith and Lance.jpg Lance and Keith bicker.png|Keith and Lance quarrel with each other. Keith, Lance and the Red Lion's Hologram.png|Keith is pleased with his Lion partner. It makes Lance jealous and he enjoys rubbing it in like salt in a wound. Team Voltron Will Dress Uniforms.png|Everyone strip down and suit up! 171. Team suits up first time.png 73. Keith's bayard - sword.png|Keith's Bayard manifests as a sword. 73. Keith's bayard sword plus arm shield.png|Keith's Bayard sword plus the arm shield built into his armor. 165. Keith Lance butting heads while Pidge Hunk glare.png|Everyone butt heads now! 193. Keith pilots Red for the first time.png|"Good kitty." 221j. Lance and Keith at end of first Voltron battle.png Team Voltron - LD.png ^4BE140374EB1776DE7063283907C9B5B010B49BCF16176ADF7^pimgpsh_fullsize_distr.jpg|When you're too emo for everyone else but your clothes. Team Voltron (Ep. 2).png 10. Keith zip line to Red Lion.png|Is this really the most effective way to get to your lion? 17. Keith traveling to his lion.png|Apparently yes. Keith's Thought.png|Keith trying to remember what peace and quiet felt like. 52. Team Voltron taking a break from training.png 54. Shiro and Keith are so done with this.png 57. Keith defends a paralyzed Shiro.png|Defending a paralyzed Shiro. 65. Pidge and Keith give Allura the stink eye.png|You shouldn't have thrown that food goo, Princess. 67. Food fight 1.png|For the Paladin with supposedly the quickest reflexes, Keith sure got creamed. 68. Food fight 2.png 68. Food fight 3.png 72. Ready for more goo food fighting.png 74. Yeah it's over.png 75. Team Voltron covered in food goo.png 87. Keith takes control of Red Lion.png|I have come to kick booty. 96. Lance Hunk Keith on couch.png Keith, Lance & Hunk.jpg 97a. We're brothers man 2.png|He has that 'I was an only child, what is this?!' stare. 8. Hunk proud of his hungry friends.png|Eating is Serious Buisness. Keith and Arusians.png|When the cuteness belies the voice. 99. Keith sketchy style 3.png|A momentary glimpse at Keith's berserker rage. 101. Keith sketchy style 4.png|Keith is about to go Super Saiyan. Wait, what? Wrong show? Who cares, we're doing it anyway! 9. Confused Keith and Hunk.png|Tf you talkin about. 26. Ah my eyes.png 27. Good one Hunk.png 57. You can't leave - you can't tell me what to do.png|You can't leave! 162. It's behind me isn't it.png|No, no , no - it's left foot, slide, right foot - are you even listening to me?! 32. Keith's bridge chair.png|Keith wonders why the high tech aliens can't figure out seatbelts. 59. Excited to see his new GIRL friend.png 161. Team Voltron listens to Hunk's rant.png|The Team listening to Hunk's I Told You So spiel. 191. You're cutting out.png|Keith knows about how Lance has been sneaking into Pidge's room to watch My Little Pony. Blackmail is a beautiful thing. Lance and Keith in the Space.jpg 4. No Lance it's blaow blaow.png Shiro, Keith, Lance, Pidge, Hunk & Allura in the Space.jpg 67. Hey I want that (firepower).png 79. Where are all the troops.png 105. Guys this isn't working.png 116. Keith and Pidge struggle to hold their ground.png 138. We messed up.png 95. Whoa whoa whoa.png|Whoa whoa whoa don't step in that! 97. Lance and Keith argue over plan of attack.png|Lance explains the importance of a good skin routine. Keith remains unconvinced. 98. So we can't just blow things up like a psycho.png|"C’mon man, a chem peel would do wonders for those frown lines." 109a. Lance and Keith can't figure out Galra tech 2.png|How many Paladins does it take to change a lightbulb? 110. Whoa how'd you do that.png|If they knew only Galra tech or Galra aliens can activate Galra switches, they'd be more than just confused right now but hey. 129. Keith and Lance run into guards.png|And here we see Red and Blue getting along. Hand holding, sneaking in. Just Paladin things. 134. Keith has no idea what Lance's gesturing about.png 135. Keith gets it now.png|Keith learns the Bro Code from Lance. This will undoubtedly result in catastrophe. 25. Team Voltron at Sendak's pod.png 30. Keith death glare.png|"The amount of information in your brain could be stored in a paper airplane." Sick burn from the Paladin of Fire. 33. Lance tries to shoot Keith down.png 35. Oh good one Lance.png 41. Watching Sendak chill 4.png 84. Keith poses for the camera.png 90. Keith about ready to bite something.png|1st Rule of Anime: Hair becomes surprisingly transparent in the presence of eyebrows. 92. Fanservice 101.png|Fanservice 101: Throw something in for the ladies. 94. Keith gives up.png 97. No sleeping on the job Keith.png 99. Keith looking for his bayard.png|Draw me like one of your space girls. 102. But the T100 just keeps on coming.png|Gladiator bot totally stole that move from the T1000. 159. Keith on the retreat from the Gladiator.png 161. Dude not so rough.png|"Lance, if I turn around and your bare butt is pressed against the window, I swear I will eject you out this airlock without a second thought." 164. Look out for the Gladiator.png 169. Keith's eyes are kinda purple.png 172. Gladiator bot about to fail.png 174. Keith and Lance breath for a moment.png|"Dude I ...I hate to tell you at a time like this. But.. It won't come out." 178. I was trying to kill me.png|"What do you mean, it won't come out?!?!" 180. Because that's who's trying to kill me.png|"I told you, bleach doesn't work on that kind of stain. You gotta use ammonia." 181. Lightbulb moment.png|"Wait. What happens if you mix them?" 183. The fearsome duo freak out.png|"It makes POISON GAS you idiot! RUN!" 203. Coran Lance Keith march into Green bay.png Coran, Pidge, Lance, Keith & Hunk.jpg 214. Wait, has anybody seen Shiro.png 239. Team staring at Shiro freaking out.png 246. My father is taking us.png 1. Somewhere in Sendak's memories.png 6. Winner gets the Universe.png 7. Dream on Lance.png Team Voltron in Castle Ship.jpg 19. Get out of the way Hunk.png Keith & Pidge.jpg|"Get in the robot, Shinji." 32. So you can only see it if you know where to look.png Allura, Pidge, Keith, Lance and Hunk.png|Keith's "what the heck" face rating: 10/10. Lance's: 3.5/10. He always looks that way. 51. Hey look it's the A-Team.png 55. We'll have all the info we need in a few min.png 67. Team Voltron hiding from Galra compiled.png 73. Okay, download complete.png 78. What no way.png 83. Everyone say ahhh now.png 85. Hello down there.png Team Voltron and Galra Guard.png 90. Excuse me, I do not need your permission.png 105. Well I suspect that it's sporks.png 106. What this is an advanced race we're talking about here.png 133. Keith stalking the druid.png|Keith fails Stalking 101. Never skyline yourself! 134. Keith watching the druid, jetpack wings deployed.png 137. Keith about to lose them.png 168. Keith watching the distillation.png 194. Coran, you need to see this.png|Oh look, the Alteans actually got Google glass to work! 195. Coran, you need to see this 2.png 217. Well that was easy.png 222a. Keith gets tossed around a lot 2.png 225. Keith swings but doesn't score.png|Left hand? Wasn't he using his right against the Gladiator bot earlier? Seems like Keith might be ambidextrous. 231. Keith attacks Galra druid using jetpack.png 232. Galra druid shielding against Keith.png 233. Keith shocked at the resistance.png 234a. Keith getting tossed across room 2.png 235. Keith landing with burnt hand.png 236. Keith in pain over burnt hand.png 237. Keith stares at burnt hand.png 238. Keith's hand burnt by Galra druid's lightning.png 254. Keith cornered by Galra druid.png 257. We gotta get Shiro and Allura.png 258. Keith covered in yellow Quintessence.png 259. Growly Keith covered in yellow Quintessence.png 260. Yellow Quintessence working on Keith's hand.png 262. Burns are all gone.png|Wonder if that stuff could erase Shiro's facial scar? 275. Where's Allura.png 276. Shiro what's wrong.png 279. It doesn't matter how dangerous it is.png 281. But now we don't have a choice.png 32885.png|Keith's frustration poking through his normally calm veneer. 6. How is that possible.png 11. Team Voltron looks daunted by Zarkon's complex.png 18. I'm not saying I like the idea.png 52. I thought we needed Allura to open up a wormhole.png 175. Keith pov on Black, Zarkon.png 177. This is my chance to put an end.png 189. Keith struggling to control Red after hit.png 258. Keith in shock over power of Z's BFG.png 263. Keith mutes Coran.png 270. Keith and Red are losing.png 274. Keith is going, going.png|Going...going... 275. And Keith is gone.png|And he's gone. Coran, Keith, Lance, Pidge and Hunk in Disguise.jpg Shiro, Pidge, Ulaz, Keith and Hunk.png Keith with his Blade.jpg|Keith's Galra heritage is confirmed. Category:Voltron: Legendary Defender characters Category:Characters